


Smooth

by korvidae



Series: Fire Siblings Week 2020 [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Ember Island (Avatar), Fire Siblings Week 2020, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:40:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27125339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/korvidae/pseuds/korvidae
Summary: “Is it wrong to say I don’t regret it?”Or: Ember Island is known for smoothing over rough edges.(Fire Siblings Week 2020 Day 3: Ember Island)
Relationships: Azula & Izumi (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Izumi & Zuko (Avatar), Mai & Ursa (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Fire Siblings Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1978597
Comments: 14
Kudos: 103





	Smooth

**Author's Note:**

> Set 10 years post-Sozin’s comet.

“Remember Chan?”

Azula’s voice had brought Zuko out of his reverie. He had been sitting with Azula on the eastern balcony of their family’s summer home looking out over the ocean, Izumi resting comfortably in his lap. While rifling through some old boxes in some old wardrobes, he and Azula had found a few wooden toys from when they been babies, which Izumi promptly took possession of. She was currently attempting to manipulate a toy comprised of two interlocking rings with her chubby fingers.

Zuko looked at his sister, briefly confused. Then the memory struck him, and his eyes widened slightly.

“The meathead who threw that house party?” The corner of his mouth quirked up as he leaned back into his chair, moving Izumi onto his chest.

Azula tossed her head back and laughed. “Yes! And his friend, with the hair!”

“Who was his dad? Was he a governor or something?”

“Thought he was a general,” Azula said noncommittally as she raised her wine to her lips.

Zuko considered his sister. The breeze blew over them from the ocean, slightly chilly as it was early autumn; it ruffled Azula’s blunt bob, cut for utility rather than beauty. There was a time—not all that long ago, really—that he sincerely doubted her capacity for change. It seemed she was simply too committed to causing chaos for him wherever she went. And yet, here she was, the austerity of her new life a clear symbol of her transformation.

Azula let out a long sigh.

“You know what?” she was looking out over the shore. “I think the night we trashed Chan’s parent’s house was the most fun I had as a teenager.” A mischievous look crossed her face.

Zuko couldn’t help but laugh at that. Yes, she had changed, but Azula was still Azula, and he was thankful for that. He wouldn’t know what to do with himself if she suddenly stopped enjoying spiteful revenge.

Seemingly in response to his laughter, Izumi gurgled joyfully and began swinging the wooden toy up and down, narrowly missing her father’s face.

“Careful there, turtleduck,” he grunted as he picked her up and held her away from him. Taking that as an invitation, Azula leaned forward and scooped the flailing baby into her arms.

“Excuse me, only I get to hit your father,” she tickled Izumi under her chin, more giggles blooming forth.

“I dunno, ‘Zula,” he was grinning now as he reached for his own wine. “Conquering Ba Sing Se must’ve been pretty fun. And you really seemed to enjoy hunting down Aang and me.” He was only half-joking.

At first, Azula snorted dismissively, looking back out to the sunset over the ocean. She spent a quiet moment just looking, gently bouncing Izumi in her lap, and running her fingertips through her fluffy black hair.

“No, you’re right,” she admitted quietly, an almost wistful look crossing her face. “It was a lot of fun.”

Zuko sat with that comment for a bit, unsure of how to respond. As if reading his mind, Azula continued:

“In the beginning, it almost felt like a game. And with Ty Lee and Mai there…” she trailed off, looking down at the now quiet baby in her lap.

“Is it wrong to say I don’t regret it?”

There it was: the familiar intensity of Azula’s gaze when she was deadly serious, burning into him even in the waning light. Zuko looked at her over the rim of his cup as he took a drink.

“No,” he decided, “you shouldn’t regret it. I don’t regret the years I spent hunting Aang anymore, either. Not when I’m reminded of everything that came from it.”

“Not anymore,” Azula repeated, and just as Zuko opened his mouth to respond, a clattering sound emerged from the house.

“Dry your tears everyone, I’m back,” came a familiar, sarcastic tone from beyond the door. Zuko grinned.

Out of the door came Mai and Ursa, hair piled unceremoniously upon their heads and skin gleaming brightly in the orange glow from the sunset.

“Where’s my baby?” Mai asked as she approached them.

(Ursa had been the one who planned the trip; it had been Mai’s first break since Izumi was born. She said Mai needed a little “me time,” even if it could be rationed out a few hours a day while Izumi was still nursing. They had only been at the spa for a few hours, and Mai already looked markedly less tense).

“Take a look at this serene Fire Lady,” Azula smirked, handing over a now fussing Izumi to her mother. Zuko flicked a few small flames from his seat to light the lanterns around the perimeter of the balcony.

“I will say, your mother knows a thing or two about relaxation,” Mai sighed as she slid into the seat beside Zuko, pecking him on the cheek as Izumi babbled, clutching the front of Mai’s gown. “What did you guys do while we were gone?”

“Walked around the beach, made dinner. We’ve just been out here talking, you know.”

“Oh,” Mai quirked a brow. “What about?”

“The past, mostly.”

To Zuko’s surprise, Azula had volunteered that tidbit.

“ _Really_?” Mai’s eyes met Azula’s for a moment, then she turned to her husband.

A rare smile crossed Mai’s face, and in her lightest, most Ty Lee-esque voice, Mai asked, “Do you feel all smoothed now?”

A “pfft” escaped Zuko; Azula scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Shut up, Mai,” Azula said.

But she was smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments are appreciated 😊
> 
> (Edited 5 January 2021)


End file.
